Although you cannot see or smell radiation, it can be detected,
accurately and easily, with the aid of instruments designed for that purpose.
Trained technicians using these instruments monitor radiation in and around
the nuclear power station. Should a nuclear incident occur, this monitoring
will be increased to obtain accurate information for all areas that might be
affected. State health officials will evaluate this information and advise what
actions should be taken.
What is radiation?
There is nothing new or mysterious about radiation. It has
always been a part of our natural environment. We are constantly exposed to
radiation from the sun and outer space. Naturally occurring radioactive materials
are present in the earth around us, in the buildings we live and work in, and
in the food and water we consume.
There are radioactive gases in the air we breathe, and our
bodies themselves are radioactive to some degree. The nuclear power industry
is a small contributor to the average radiation exposure. The levels of this
natural radiation vary greatly from place to place. Persons living in Denver,
Colorado, for example, receive double the amount of natural radiation that we
receive in Virginia. That’s primarily because of Denver’s higher altitude.
We are also exposed to sources of man-made radiation. For
more than half a century, doctors and scientists have used X-rays and other
forms of penetrating radiation. Medical diagnosis and treatment are the main
sources of exposure to man-made radiation, and the benefits in terms of human
lives saved far outweigh any potential problems.
Within a decade after the X-ray came into use, it became
apparent that it could be either beneficial or harmful depending on the use
and control and what protective measures were necessary. This applies to other
kinds of radiation as well, including that produced in the nuclear power industry.
Nuclear power as a source of radiation
The fission process which takes place in a nuclear power
station is a source of man-made radiation, although in normal operations the
amount reaching the environment is almost insignificant. The average person
receives approximately 350 millirem* per year from natural and man-made sources,
and a person living within 10 miles of a nuclear generating station receives
less than one millirem each year from the station.
Nuclear power stations are designed and built to prevent
radioactivity from reaching the environment, both during normal operation and
in the event of an accident. These intensive efforts by the industry have worked
in the more than 30 years of nuclear power production in this country. Not a
single death or serious injury from radiation has ever been recorded involving
a member of the public. The likelihood of such an occurrence in the future is
extremely small.
The effect radiation from any source has on us depends upon
the type and force of the rays and particles and the exposure to our bodies.
Therefore, the protective actions described in this web site are important to
remember in the event of an emergency.
Radiation Sources
Average annual effective dose equivalent to persons in the
U.S. from various radiation sources:
